BURGHERS

BURGHERS, as Dutch citizens of incorporated cities, enjoyed the economic and political rights of freemen. In New Amsterdam, burghers gained control of the municipal government in 1652, after the previous administration's reckless economic and Indian policies threatened the city's prosperity. Five years later, the Dutch government granted burgher rights, which conferred political privileges and a commercial monopoly on their recipients. In New Amsterdam, only those whom the city magistrates had classified as burghers could do business as merchants or artisans. Later, English law entitled burghers to the designation of freemen by birth or admission by the magistrates.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Rink, Oliver A. Holland on the Hudson: An Economic and Social History of Dutch New York. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1986.

ShelbyBalik

A. C.Flick

See alsoNew Netherland ; Petition and Remonstrance of New Netherland ; Suffrage, Colonial .

burgher citizen. XVI. — G. or Du. burger. f. burg BOROUGH.